Hi all,

I finally got back on my bikes recently too due to a prolonged period of illness. So far this year ive only managed about 2600kilometers which is far smaller than the distances I was doing the previous year. Im actually back to commuting 4 times a week now, with the distances ranging from 12kilometers return trip to about 35 depending on which way I go. Ive been slowly building my fitness and speed back up to a nice level again and im starting to see the rewards of that(lost a bit of weight, gained a bit of speed, etc).

Its getting kind of chilly here in the mornings, about 5-10degrees(celsius) so warming up first thing when going out on a bike ride is top priority. Speed isnt important I find and just makes me colder. Heh :} Hit a high cadence in a granny gear and watch the body temp rise a bit. Still, its lovely and still in the morning, cold enough to condense your breath on uphills and clear enough smell the wet dew and trees before the car traffic hits peak and everything smells like exhaust. :{

The journey to work is only short, 6kilometers or so, just enough to warm up and starting to feel prime before I have to stop because im at work already(and I dont want to show up too sweaty). The way home is a different story, I take the long route, I climb the hills, I speed down the other side, I share the lane with other workers trying to get home at the same time, I say a friendly hello or a nod of the head to other cyclists I see along this route, like that lovely little blonde lady, or the redhead thats got cheetah patterned bikepants, or the tall guy that uses a facemask.

I share a path alongside a river, suspended out over the river actually, completely free of road blocks, cars, and other obstacles. Of course I have to watch out for joggers and roller bladers, but they seem to be used to cyclists around here. I pass by cars banked up on a bridge, I cruise along the bikeway alongside and race the cars across the bridge, I always win. The other side of the bridge awaits a lovely long straight downhill, recently recoated, smooth as butter. I take the lane, and usually have to feather the brakes because the cars are going too slow!

I can go different ways from here, but a favourite of late is the hill climb, its not much of a hill really, but its the biggest around here. Its got a duel road, one up, one down and its very rarely used by cars it seems. Its quiet steep in sections but there are flat rest sections. I take my time, kick the cadence up a notch and the gears down a notch and enjoy the scenery. Its great! One side of the hill is forested walking trails and designated 'green area', the other side is classy but muted attitude residential, nice houses, lovely gardens. Its quiet, no loud music, no cars zooming past, my lights leading the way into the sunset.

I cant think of a better, more relaxing way to travel.